Five Black Males Accused of Slashing the Throats of White Family

Note: the five suspects are innocent until convicted in a court of law.

Gonzales LA: Residents of this peaceful community are stunned at the horrific events that has driven a wedge of terror into this close-nit community. Robert Irwin Marchand, 74, and his stepson, Douglas Dooley, 50, had been butchered having their throats cut. Mr. Marchand's wife, Shirley, was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Hospitalized since Saturday, Feb. 18, she was the only survivor of this deadly home invasion. She later died at the hospital.

Neighbors say of Mr. Marchand, "He had character. That's the best way to put it. The man had character. What a horrible way to end your life. Why? Why? And how could they? These were wonderful, generous people." Officials claim this was a robbery over safe full of rare coins, and the "they" are a gang of five feral black males. According to the local press,

Travis Moore, 19, of Baton Rouge is seen being taken into custody at the Ascension Parish jail. He was arrested along with Rolondo Stewart, 22, and Michael Aikens, 35, -- both of Prairieville -- and charged with 3 counts of first degree murder for the home invasion deaths of Shirley and Irwin Marchand and Doug Dooley.

Aiken was a former employee of Mr. Marchand. A rare coin collection worth half a million dollars was stolen during the robbery. Sheriff Jeff Wiley says a tip led to Tuesday's arrest and that Stewart was actually already in jail, accused of shooting another man within the last few days.

They found the safe

A torched safe found in Livingston Parish has been positively identified. Ascension Parish deputies say that safe was the target of a deadly home invasion in Gonzales less than two weeks ago...That safe was found in a remote part of Livingston Parish off of the Frost exit last week. Once the safe was opened, deputies found one Morgan Silver Dollar. It was package in a protective sleeve with hand-written notes about the coin. This information matched the inventory taken from the Marchand home earlier in the investigation.